Mission Moment 5.27.26

Kim Wyatt
Field Personnel in Raleigh, North Carolina

A Blessing for Emeritus Field Personnel
You have been faithful in both the small and the large responsibilities. We celebrate with you many years of your faithful service! As we consider all the ways that you have shown love, devotion and obedience towards God, we are grateful. For the plethora of ways that you show love for your neighbors due to the welling up of the love for God deep within you, we are forever indebted.

For the tireless joy with which you have served others and the continuation of this service that will follow beyond your tenure with CBF, we are thankful.

As you go, you go with our love and our admiration. You go with our abiding appreciation for the costs of your discipleship to serve among “the least of these” which often took you far from your extended family and your country of birth. Yet always, even on the rough, uncertain days, you continued because of the call of Christ deep within you.

So again, I say, well done good and faithful servants. Your light shines so brightly that you will not be deterred by retirement, but will continue to serve our glorious Lord out of your deep abiding love for God and your neighbor.

Words of blessing and appreciation to our field personnel who retired in June 2025 (and to all those that have retired before these):

Anna Anderson
Chaouki and Maha Boulos
Steve Clark
Mary
Lynn Hutchinson 
Jenny Jenkins
Karen Morrow
Mary VanRheenen
Cindy Ruble
Greg Smith
Sue Smith
Marc Wyatt

“I pray that the Lord will bless and protect you, and that he will show you mercy and kindness. May the Lord be good to you and give you peace.” —Numbers 6:24-26.

First Explorers Update 5.27.26

On the last week of After-School for the spring semester, we had tons of fun. On Monday, Rebekah from 4-H came and talked about underwater ecosystems. She also had the kids make their own ecosystem out of various candies on a plate. On Tuesday, we had all the kids draw with chalk by the back door carport. On Wednesday, we let the kids play outside the entire time. And on Thursday, we again had the kids play outside the entire time as it was the last full day of school for them. We didn’t have After-School on Friday because it was only a half day. Overall, it was another great week and great year at After-School!

First Explorers Update 5.20.26

Last week at After-School was all about food! On Monday, we had all the kids make their own butter using a mason jar, a marble, and the ingredients. On Tuesday, we made homemade chocolate chip cookies while Ms. Gaye did chapel with the kids. On Wednesday, we celebrated the end of RAs, GAs and Mission Friends by having an ice cream and cookie party outside. On Thursday, Generation Kids came and did a fun lesson and played some games with us outside. On Friday, the kids made their own homemade ice cream. Overall, it was a fantastic week at After-School! 

Mission Moment 5.20.26

Rick Sample
Field Personnel in San Francisco Bay Area, California

I didn’t grow up knowing that I wanted to be a missionary. In fact, as a sophomore at Samford University, I decided to try summer missions for one summer only. Afterward, I ended up being a summer missionary for five years. That first summer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was challenging to me. I had to go door-to-door witnessing! For this introvert, it was torturous to knock on 1200+ doors that summer. All summer long, I thought that it would be my only missionary service in my lifetime.

What I really liked was a sports club I started with some teenage boys in the neighborhood, playing baseball or basketball three afternoons each week. After each game, I led a brief devotional and prayer in the park. On the last night of the summer, I invited all the boys out for ice cream. After the ice cream, I presented each youth with a small New Testament hoping they would read the Bible after the summer. What happened next crushed me. 

These teenagers whom I had spent the summer ministering to and praying for mocked me for being a Christian, and, before running off never to see me again, they ripped some pages out of the Bibles and threw them in the gutter. I started to cry and as I bent down to pick up the torn sheaves of Scripture, something struck deep within my soul. It was in that moment that I knew God was calling me to be a missionary for life. What was momentarily an unexpectedly tragic moment was a threshold I stepped over that became a lifelong BLESSING.

The next summer, I was part of a Samford mission team. Four of us spent the summer in LeFrak City, an inner-city enclave in Queens, New York City. And today, in my third decade serving with CBF Global Missions, I can say that my lifelong BLESSING is renewed every day. At the end of my summer in Queens, I penned a poem based on the 23rd Psalm. 

A Summer Missionary’s 23rd Psalm
By Rick Sample, summer missionary 1983, Queens, New York City

The Lord is my Supervisor, I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down on my plywood and foam; He leadeth me through the playground and down 57th Avenue.

He restoreth my soul with laughter; He leadeth me in the paths of Vacation Bible School for His name’s sake.

Yea, though I ride through the subways at night, and transfer at Times Square, I will fear no muggers: for Thou art with me; the smiles of the children they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of 10 pairs of eyes peering in at the terrace door; Thou anointest my walls with graffiti; my cup runneth over with people to love.

Surely thoughts of Artif, Caleb, Charles, Joseph, Freddy and Robert will follow me all the days of my life: and I will be a richer person because of New York City.

Church Office Closed Memorial Day

In observance of Memorial Day, the church office will be closed on Monday, May 25 and will reopen on Tuesday, May 26.

Giving the Jesus Way

United Christian Ministries is in need of laundry detergent.

To donate items, please drop them off at UCM’s building at 191 Skyland Drive. 

Thank you!

First Explorers Update 5.13.26

Midweek Meals

TONIGHT, May 13 at 5:30 p.m.

Our midweek meals will conclude with tonight’s meal
at 5:30 p.m. in the MFC, and we will reconvene our meals together
in September. We look forward to seeing you there!

Giving the Jesus Way

United Christian Ministries is in need of canned ravioli, canned spaghetti sauce
and pot-sized spaghetti noodles.

To donate items, please drop them off at UCM’s building at 191 Skyland Drive. 

Thank you!

Mission Moment 5.13.26

Jeff Lee
Field Personnel in Skopje, North Macedonia 

A Blessing from a Farmer

A blessing for new life. The springtime brings with it new life and growth. For us to participate in that new life requires us to fully understand what is occurring. We live in a world of constant changes, and we must find our place in the everchanging landscape we face daily. We must facilitate new life.

Blessed is the seed. As we plant a seed for potential new life, we focus on what is set before us. We have an opportunity to facilitate new life. We are the caretakers of what is new and fresh. We live in a broken world but there is hope with new life. 

Blessed are the hands. New life requires cultivation. When a seed is planted it requires hands to place that seed into the healthy soil. The soil needs nutrients and moisture to encourage the new life to spring forth from the ground. It requires hands to cultivate and to prune the new life—and that are sometimes calloused and worn from years of tending to multiple gardens of life. 

Blessed is the land. The land is the home for new life. We are homemakers on this journey of life. We are required to work and change the land to improve the chances for new life to flourish in sometimes harsh conditions. 

Blessed is the rain. Water is a source of life. We cannot live without water. Often, we pass through a period of drought and famine. The rain brings that new life in time of struggle and pain. 

Blessed is the harvest. The harvest is part of the cycle of life. We benefit from the harvest, which brings new life for us. We are part of the cycle of new life and death. It is a constant part of who we are. A blessing from a farmer is understanding the cycle and providing for those in need around them. 

Blessed is the table. May your table be full and shared with those around you. A blessing from a farmer is to fill your table. May it overflow to create and maintain life in your house and community. A blessing from a farmer is understanding the greatest commandment, to love God and to love our neighbor.

The blessing from the farmer is the understanding that life is an ever-changing journey. 

Peace be the journey.